


Lost in IKEA, Searching for Narnia

by Kateera



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Charming Garcia, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Sibling Love, Worried Lucy, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 07:51:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15747462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: When Amy goes missing in IKEA, a tall handsome stranger offers to help Lucy look for her. A lunch isn't too forward for saying thank you, is it?





	Lost in IKEA, Searching for Narnia

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to post this for Garcy Weekend but time got away from me. That being said, welcome to yet another Garcy AU where I want them to be happy. (There may be more added to this story as I write)
> 
> Check me out on [tumblr](http://kateera.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/kateera_)

 

“Amy! Amy! Where are you?” Lucy raced through the aisles, her basket banging against her leg as she searched for her little sister.

The twisting labyrinth of IKEA stretched out before her and she wanted to cry at all the hiding places Amy could have found. She’s good at it too, convinced if she just finds the right cupboard, she can escape to Narnia.

_I should never have read those books to her._

“Hey, are you okay?”

A soft accented voice made her jump and she turned around to find a broad, gray t-shirt covered chest behind her. Tilting her head up, Lucy looked into the large and concerned eyes of a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous man.

_Woah._

Stuttering a bit at his intense gaze, Lucy stepped back and crossed her arms, glancing around the store again. “Um, no. Um, my sister, Amy, she ran off on me while we were shopping and she keeps trying to find Narnia and if we don’t leave soon then we’re going to be late and I’m never going to be allowed to take her places ever again.”

The man blinked as if processing what she said and then he smiled and nodded in understanding. “I’ll help you look. If’ she’s actually found Narnia, I wouldn’t mind a trip myself.”

Lucy shook her head. “That’s not necessary, really.”

“I don’t mind,” he said as he started off towards the bedroom sets. “Where was the last place you saw her?”

Lucy hurried to catch up, her legs no match for his long strides. “We were looking at the potholders and I went to grab something from the top and when I turned around, she was gone.”

Amy enjoyed hiding from their mother and Lucy couldn’t blame her, the controlling woman left little time for warmth in their lives, but she’d never hid from Lucy before and she was trying to squash the thoughts that someone might have taken her.

“The kids’ rooms have toys, maybe she went there?” The tall man slowed down to let her catch up.

“Maybe, she’s more the type to find a tall cabinet and climb in it though,” Lucy said, slightly out of breath.

He nodded and kept walking towards the bedroom sets. “I’m Garcia, by the way, Garcia Flynn.”

“Lucy Preston,” she replied, her mind reeling with the idea that Amy might have been kidnapped. “I promise, I’m usually very attentive. I don’t know why she took off.”

“Hey, kids get distracted.” He gave her a small smile as they neared the children's furniture section.

They searched the bedrooms, checking under bunk beds and inside the large closets until Lucy thought she might scream from the panic building in her throat. Garcia moved onto the adult bedroom sets, calling out Amy’s name and then stopping at a large closet with dark trim and silver handles. Lucy hurried over as he waved her forward.

“Someone is singing in there,” he whispered.

Lucy wanted to hug him at that moment even if he was a complete stranger. Throwing open the doors, she found Amy sitting on the floor of the closet with a doll in her arms, rocking it back and forth.

“There you are!” Lucy collapsed next to the closet and buried her face in her hands. “Oh God, Amy, you scared me to death.”

Her little sister crawled out of the closet and into her lap, still clutching the doll. “I wanted to see Mr. Tumnus.”

“You shouldn’t run off like that,” Lucy scolded, even as she wrapped her arms around Amy and held her tight.

Looking up at Garcia, she felt a flood of affection for the kind man who’d kept her calm as they’d searched. “Thank you.”

He shuffled on his feet and looked at the ground. “Um, you’re welcome. I’m glad she’s safe.”

Lucy stood, Amy’s arms still wrapped around her neck, and gave him a huge smile. “It was lovely to meet you, Garcia Flynn.”

“Likewise,” he said in a low rumbling voice.

She couldn’t keep the blush from her cheeks at his warm smile and held Amy closer to her heart. He looked at Amy with a fond sort of sadness before walking away.

She watched him as he drifted away and before he could get too far she called out after him.

“Let me buy you lunch, at the very least.”

He stopped and turned back to her, a slight frown on his face. “Are you trying to say thank you with Swedish meatballs and pancakes?”

Laughing at the horror in his voice, Lucy shook her head and set Amy back on the floor. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to keep her voice steady. “How about I get your number and set up a thank you lunch? I have to get her home soon.”

He looked thrown by her offer, standing and staring as if wondering if she was serious. “It’s no problem. You don’t have to do that.”

Amy tugged on her hand but Lucy held her ground and refused to move. “I insist, really. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help.”

He rubbed his neck and then shook his head and pulled out his phone. “How about, um, you give me your number and I’ll text you mine and if you’re serious, um, well then I guess I’m fine with it.”

She rattled off her phone number and he entered in his phone, the blush on his face making him even more adorable and causing Lucy to have trouble keeping her cheeks from turning red. Moments later, her phone buzzed in her pocket and she looked at the new message, two thumbs up emoji symbols under an unknown number.

“I’m serious about that lunch,” Lucy said, waving her phone at him as Amy pulled on her arm again and she let her little sister drag her away.

He waved goodbye and nodded once before turning away.

Looking down at Amy, she sighed and pulled her close. “You know you should never run away from me in a store like this. What if I’d had to call security to help find you?”

“I saw the big closet and just had to check,” Amy told her with a grin. “Wasn’t a magic one though.”

Lucy watched Amy’s face drop and draped an arm over her shoulder. “What would you do if you actually found a magic wardrobe and got sucked into another world?”

“I’d see if Mr. Tumnus was around and never come home.”

“You’d leave me all alone?”

Amy looked up at her with a frown. “Well, I’d come to get you and then go to Narnia and never come home.”

Lucy kissed the top of her head as they walked to the car. “I know love. I know.”

“Do I have to go back?”

The sadness in her sister’s voice broke Lucy’s heart. Being the first born Preston daughter, she knew all about the pressure to succeed that Carol Preston pushed on her children. She wanted to take Amy away but no social service worker would go up against Dr. Carol Preston and escape with their job.

“I’ll see you again soon, alright?” Lucy hugged Amy tight and helped her into the backseat. “If you’re really good and study hard, maybe she’ll let you stay with me instead of a nanny while she’s lecturing in Oxford.”

Amy’s face lit up. “You think so?”

“I’ll try to make it happen if that’s what you want.”

Amy bounced in her seat. “I’ll be good, I promise.”

Lucy tweaked her braid and laughed. “Alright, well let's get you back home before she sends out her own search party.”

 

*******

 

The deli across the street from her apartment was Lucy’s second kitchen when she didn’t feel up to eating her own cooking. She felt comfortable there and she needed all the comfort she could get as she waited for the appearance of Garcia Flynn. Every chime of the bell against the door made her jerk her head in the direction of the entrance and every time it was a neighbor or returning delivery rider, she relaxed back against the booth.

_Calm down, you idiot._

She took a sip of her ginger ale and tried to focus on her book, Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom. After rereading the same paragraph for the fourth time, she put her book down with a sigh and slouched into the booth. The bell rang and she sat up immediately and her mouth fell open as Garcia Flynn stepped through the door. When they’d met at IKEA, he’d been wearing a large black coat and slacks and she’d honestly been too worried about Amy to focus on his attire. He walked into her favorite deli in jeans and an ivory colored turtleneck sweater, his dark hair falling in a soft curtain and she needed something stronger than a ginger ale.

His eyes darted around the small shop and she raised her hand to wave him over. His smile at seeing her sent a shock of heat through her chest and stomach.

“Hi, I’m sorry I’m a little late.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Figuring out where to park was a disaster.”

“Oh, sorry about that.” She stood and pointed to the counter. “What would you like?”

He walked to the board, a simple blackboard with the menu written in various colors of chalk. “What do you recommend?”

Following him to the counter, Lucy pointed to a selection at the top. “Val says his Reuben on rye is the fan favorite, but I always go for the smoked turkey.”

Garcia hummed and walked up to the sign that said “Order Here” where Val, a large mustached man wearing a white apron, was leaning on the counter. “Hi, I’m ready to order.”

“Are you with Lucy?” Val asked, crossing his arms and glaring at Garcia.

“Valentin, be nice,” Lucy said as her entire face turned bright red. “He’s a new friend that I don’t need you scaring away.”

“Someone has to look out for you,” Val said, his eyes narrowing as Garcia cocked his eyebrow. “Обидишь ее - я обижу тебя.” _(If you make her sad, I’ll make you sad.)_

Garcia held up his hands. “я бы никогда!” _(I’d never!)_

Val stepped back with a sniff and Lucy glared at him.

“Stop the posturing bullshit, Val.” She crossed her arms and huffed. “Garcia Flynn, meet Valentin Petrovich. Val, meet Garcia, the man who helped me find Amy and stay in the good graces of my mother.”

Val had the decency to look ashamed at his behavior. “I’m sorry, but with Lucy, I can’t be too careful.”

“You can mind your own business and get me a smoked turkey sandwich,” Lucy said, the fond exasperation in her voice enough to make Val smile.

“I’ll have the same, and a root beer.” Garcia pulled out his wallet and Lucy pushed him aside.

“No, absolutely not.” She held out her card to Val. “Put it on this and if I see you take any money from him, I’m not coming back for a week.”

“I wouldn’t dream of disobeying you,” Val said with a grin.

She looked at Garcia and raised her eyebrows. “Well?”

“I was just-”

“It’s a thank you, remember?”

He grinned and looked at his shoes. “Well, my mother would have smacked my head if she heard I hadn’t even tried.”

She hummed and walked back to the booth. Between Val’s behavior and Garcia’s boyish charm, her nerves were shot to hell and she really wished her ginger ale came with a shot of vodka.

“Anyway, thank you for your help that day. My mother gets a little overprotective and I would be devastated if she took away my time with Amy.”

“How is the little adventurer?” Garcia asked as he sat across from her.

His knees touched hers as he relaxed into the seat and she had to repeat his question in her head a few times to remember that she actually needed to come up with an answer.

“Oh, um, she’s good,” Lucy said, at last, trying to ignore the feeling of electricity running up her legs every time he shifted. “I’ve been reading The Golden Compass to her and she is now ready to go explore the North Pole and live with polar bears.”

“She sounds like quite the handful.” He gives her a big grin. “I only ever wanted to run away and be a cowboy.”

“A cowboy huh?” She laughed. “I suppose it’s still an option if things get really bad.”

“Oh yeah, it’s my backup plan.” He winked at her, laughing when she rolled her eyes. “What’s your backup plan?”

She leaned forward as if confessing a huge secret. “I was going to be a singer.”

“And instead?”

“I’m a history teacher at Stanford,” she said with a shrug. “It’s where my mother always wanted me to end up and since the world has long since learned to give Dr. Preston what she wants, there I stay.”

He tilted his head at her bitter tone. “You don’t want to teach?”

Lucy pondered the question as Val appeared like a ghost from behind the counter in his white apron and white pants, carrying a tray of food and drink.

“Cпасибо,” _(Thank you)_ Garcia said, taking his food and root beer from Val with a smile.

“не за что.” ( _Don’t mention it)_ Val set Lucy’s food on the table and reached for her glass. “I’ll be back with a refill.”

She smiled gratefully at him and then picked up half of her sandwich. “He’s overbearing and treats me like a little kid, but I do love the food.”

Garcia stared at her and she gave him a confused look. “What?”

He smiled and shook his head. “Nothing, just, it’s been a while since I’ve shared a meal with a practical stranger, let alone a beautiful woman.”

She could feel heat staining her cheeks and neck. “Oh, um, thanks I guess.”

He lifted his own sandwich with a slight blush on his cheeks as he nodded. “So, you don’t like being a teacher?”

Her brain took a moment to shift back to their previous topic and she fiddled with the paper around her food. “I do like the studying aspect of it, looking at the past through the lens of hindsight and discovering the truths behind our most famous historical figures.” She paused and took a drink. “It’s the actual teaching that’s a little tiresome. People without a love for the material are still forced into the narrative and can ruin it for those with genuine interest.”

“I see you’ve given this a lot of thought.” He’d leaned forward as she spoke, seemingly drawn into her diatribe. “So you’d what, want to be a researcher?”

“Something like that,” Lucy said with a smile. “I love the idea of digging into the truth of things, you know, being a true historian.” She motioned towards him with her sandwich. “What about you?”

Val walked back to the table and placed Lucy’s glass next to her plate. “Everything good?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “As always.”

“Yes, thank you,” Garcia said with a bob of his head.

Val grunted and walked away, giving Lucy the distinct impression that he still had his doubts about Garcia. Once he was back behind the counter, Lucy dug back into her food and looked at Garcia with expectant eyes.

“Well, okay. I do a kind of research,” he said, wiping his face with a napkin and leaning back in the booth. “But I’m less about digging up information on the past and more about digging up information on the present.”

“And what does that mean?” Something about the way he phrased the answer made it seem like he couldn’t tell her everything and it sparked Lucy’s curiosity.

“It means that I know how to find out everything about everyone in this deli without them ever knowing.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, I only use my powers for good.”

“So you’re like some secret government employee?” She giggled and shook her head. “Do you have a secret code name and have to wear tuxedos at the drop of a hat?”

He laughed and threw his napkin at her. “No, more like hours sifting through computer data with the occasional trip to the coldest parts of the world.”

“Oh, I see. Much less glamorous.” She couldn’t help finding him charming, not with the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed and how he talked with his hands as if he couldn’t contain his expressions to just his face.

Frowning in mock despair, he sighed. “Such is life.”

“Oh stop that.” She threw his napkin back at him.

“I’m glad I met you, Lucy Preston.” His eyes held something warm and tender and she couldn’t stop the heat bubbling up into her chest.

“Likewise, Garcia Flynn.” She raised her glass. “To Narnia.”

“To Narnia,” he answered and their glasses clinked together as they smiled.

Val gave a long loud sigh from behind the counter, but Lucy felt that his heart wasn’t really into the disapproval act.

 

******

 

“Is Garcia coming over?” Amy asked as she bounced on the sofa.

Lucy brought in a bowl of popcorn and two different DVD's. “I was planning on this being just the two of us.”

“He said he wanted to see the movie though,” Amy told her with a frown.

“You don’t want to spend some quality time with your sister, is that it?” Lucy set the bowl down and pulled out her phone. “Am I not good enough for you anymore?”

Amy giggled and shook her head. “Garcia, Garcia, Garcia.” She chanted and bounced on the couch and Lucy laughed.

“Alright, I’ll invite him, but he might have plans.”

“He loves you,” Amy said in the confident way of a child. “I can tell.”

Lucy pushed her down onto the couch as she sent Garcia a quick text.

**L: You busy?**

He answered almost immediately and she couldn’t help the wide smile that made Amy poke her in the side.

**G: Whatcha need? <3**

**L: Amy is wondering if you want to come over and watch a movie with us?**

**G: Hmmm, what movie?**

**L: We finished the book so now we’re going to watch The Golden Compass in comparison.**

**G: Sure, I’ll be over as soon as I can.**

**L: You’re wonderful <3 <3**

**G: So are you :D**

Lucy turned her attention back to Amy. “Alright, he’s coming over so now we have to wait.”

“Okay!” She jumped back up and started jumping on the couch again. “Are you and Garcia going to get married?”

“What? Why would you ask that?”

“Well, you like each other and so, don’t people who like each other get married?”

Lucy sighed and picked Amy up in her arms, carrying her to the kitchen. “Sometimes, yes, that’s what happens. We’re just dating though, so no talking about this to Garcia.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would make him feel weird, okay?”

“Why?”

“Because it’s still very new so it’s not something to bring up.”

Why?”

Lucy groaned and kissed her cheek. “Because if you make him feel weird, he might not come back and then, of course, we would never be able to talk about getting married.”

Amy giggled and rubbed at her cheek. “You’re lying.”

“I would never!” Lucy set her down on a stool by the breakfast nook. “Now, do you want to help me make Rice Krispy treats or not?”

Amy clapped her hands. “Treats, treats, treats!”

They melted the marshmallows and butter, mixed in the rice cereal, and set the whole thing in a pan to cool while Amy marched up to the bathroom to wash sticky marshmallow goo off her hands.

The doorbell rang while Lucy wiped down the counters and she threw the sponge into the sink as she raced to answer it. Garcia stood on the other side with a package of Oreo cookies and two red tulips.

“Hi,” Lucy said with a smile as she waved him in. “Amy is just getting washed up.”

“Oh?” He placed the cookies and flowers on the coffee table and pulled her into his arms. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Lucy reached up and dragged his head down, pressing their lips together with a small whimper.

Lucy loved kissing Garcia. His lips moved over hers with gentle, tender caresses and when he placed his hands on either side of her face to stroke her cheeks and neck with his long fingers, she forgot the world outside of them even existed. He captivated her in every sense of the word.

“Ewww,” Amy said, breaking up their kiss with a perfectly timed appearance.

Lucy stayed in Garcia’s arms but drew back to stick her tongue out at Amy, who returned the gesture.

Garcia laughed and placed a chaste kiss on Lucy’s cheek before unwrapping himself from her arms and moving to the coffee table. He picked up the flowers and presented each of them with a tulip.

“For two very important ladies in my life,” Garcia said, his eyes twinkling. “Thank you for the invite.”

“You didn’t have to bring anything,” Lucy said, taking the flowers and putting them in a vase by the sink.

“I wanted to.” He took off his coat and laid it over a dining room chair.

Turning around, Lucy took a moment to admire him in his customary black slacks and a large comfy looking sweater. She’d never thought she could assign the word beautiful to any man in her reality, but Garcia Flynn managed to be down to earth, real, and absolutely beautiful. She must have looked like an idiot because when she met his eyes, they sparkled with laughter.

“What?”

“Were you checking me out?” He whispered.

She blushed and turned away, feeling the heat in his eyes all the way to her toes. “It’s hard not to, okay? A woman only has so much willpower.”

He laughed and turned her back around. “Look all you want, I don’t mind.” He kissed her in a quick but passionate embrace.

She rested her head against his chest. “Thank goodness for IKEA, right?”

“Garcia, sit by me!” Amy called from the living room.

Garcia hummed and cupped her face in his hands. “Thank goodness for Amy.”

She nodded in agreement and watched him walk into the living room. Wiping up the last of the marshmallow cream from the counters, Lucy put a handful of the gooey treats on a plate and joined them on the couch.

“Ready for this?” Lucy asked, smirking when Garcia and Amy both bounced up and down in their seats.

Pressing play on the movie, Lucy sat on the other side of Garcia and leaned her head against his shoulder. She smiled when she saw Amy copy her movements and looked at Garcia, basking in the glow of his warm smile. He pulled them both close and placed a kiss to the top of each of their heads.

For a moment, with the movie casting a faint glow over the couch, surrounded by her most treasured people, Lucy could believe that they’d all found Narnia together.


End file.
